Jeff Goodman's comments on Syracuse basketball head coach job, NIL are off the mark

Jeff Goodman, a long-time national college basketball analyst and the co-founder of The Field of 68, says that the financial resources at Syracuse basketball "have to improve." Perhaps that's true. Perhaps it's not.

However, Goodman (whom I like a lot) takes it a step further, saying that a lot of head coaching candidates might be "scared off," because the annual name, image and likeness ("NIL") budget that the Orange program has, or will have in the 2026-27 campaign, "isn't high enough" to align with the expectations that come with the Syracuse basketball job.

Goodman, on Wednesday, was discussing the 'Cuse head coaching vacancy, after Adrian Autry was fired after three seasons leading Syracuse basketball. He says that the Orange job isn't all that great without $10 million, $12 million or $14 million to fund the team's roster. Goodman adds that the 'Cuse head coaching position is okay, but it has "fallen off significantly" in recent seasons.

I agree with his last statement amid SU's years-long decline.

Analyst Jeff Goodman threw some shade at Syracuse basketball.

Two potential candidates being floated around among national observers are Saint Louis head coach Josh Schertz and South Florida head coach Bryan Hodgson, who is from New York state and used to be an assistant under Nate Oats at Buffalo and then Alabama.

Goodman goes on to question whether Schertz, who will be a hot commodity during this offseason's head coaching carousel, would want the 'Cuse job and if it's "good enough for him." Goodman says he's not convinced that the financial resources available at Syracuse basketball in 2026-27 will "improve enough" to land either Schertz or Hodgson.

Goodman then adds that he believes Providence, a Big East Conference member, will have a better NIL situation than the Orange. Hmmm. Not sure I agree with that.

Regarding Hodgson, Goodman says that he thinks the USF boss will be in play at SU, but the analyst says he doesn't know if Hodgson is the guy, and if he is, would he even take the job? But then Goodman makes a statement about "not knowing if the resources are good enough" at Syracuse basketball.

So earlier, Goodman said the financial resources at SU have to improve. Then, later on, he says he doesn't know if those said resources are adequate enough. I'm so confused.

Look, Goodman is a national analyst and more plugged in than I am. However, outgoing 'Cuse athletics director John Wildhack has said that he thinks Syracuse basketball is in the top half of the Atlantic Coast Conference in total NIL - that's direct revenue-sharing and third-party NIL dollars.

In 2025-26, SU Athletics has said it would share the maximum amount allowed by the House settlement, roughly $20.5 million, with its sports teams. We don't know how much was spent on Syracuse men's basketball, although anecdotally, I've heard on numerous occasions that the team's 2025-26 roster had sufficient funds, even if SU Athletics has repeatedly declined to answer my questions on the third-party NIL situation.

Naturally, that didn't translate to nearly enough wins on the court, as the 'Cuse went 15-17 overall. Yet from my perspective, Syracuse basketball in 2025-26 didn't fail due to a lack of money. It failed because of poor coaching and players not performing at the level we had anticipated.

Sure, the Orange has been a sub-par team in recent seasons. I get that. Even Goodman acknowledged that this past term, SU had resources and the talent needed to contend for the NCAA Tournament, but Red didn't get it done.

Syracuse has a new athletics director, who was announced on Thursday, and he has a reputation as a strong fundraiser. Granted, Goodman's comments came before Toledo athletics director Bryan Blair was appointed as the next 'Cuse AD.

However, I still think that Goodman's thoughts here are a bit off the mark. Whether the next Syracuse basketball head coach is Schertz, Hodgson or someone else, the Orange should be in solid shape with its total NIL for 2026-27.